Hasbro, I am an avid fan of the Star Wars line. And as a Moderator and a poster here I have seen many posts and opinions. I have come to this conclusion, You are in danger Hasbro.

I have been noticing a growing rumble through the collecting community. It started with sub-par materials being used for weapons in the Sneak Peek line. The rumble is growing. I have heard many collectors declair that no longer will they collect because of poor distribution, short pack, shoddy paint jobs, etc. This disheartens me. Here are some of the problems I have noticed.

Poor distribution - There are areas of the country that still have not received any Count Dooku's to date. In my area I have not seen any of the Teebo Wave, nor anything from the Bespin wave or Palpatine wave. You must find some better way of getting an equal amount of figures out to the puplic. Hasbro, you do not make money from eBay! And that is where most people will turn to find these figures. Meaning that they will have to spend more money to purchase a hard to find figure, and then they will have nothing left to spend when their area finally gets the new waves. You just lost sales!

Shoddy paint/materials - One of the most important things in a figure is how well it stands up. Now I do not mean in an up-right postion(although that helps), I am speaking about how sturdy the figure/pack ins are. If a blaster "droops" over a matter of days, that does not speak highly of the manufacturer. These figures are suppose to be made for children, not us adult collector. While we do make up a majority of the sales, these are still toys. That being said, how long do think it would take a child to break a lightsaber peg, or completly muck up Shaak Ti's arms, or the Clone Troopers blaster. How long would it take for them to lose Hanger Duel Anakin's arm????
And if these figures are being made for the collector's, how many of us are going to pick up a figure with a really bad paint job?? I have passed on many figures because there is a paint smuch on them, or their eyes bleed into the face, or the colors are different from figure to figure that I do not know which one is the correct one. Part of my purchasing is the paint application. If it is not good, I pass. Now I didn't saw perfect, I said good.

Gimmicks - There are a good number of people who despise these gimmick. They have passed of figures they were looking forward to because of how the gimmick made them look or pose. The Arena Padme is a prime example. I love everything about this figure, except that nasty looking arm! The sculpt is great, and even the pose is "dealable", but the peg in the shoulder, and "I can't even really put my gun down" is what really detract from that figure. And please stop with the HUGH magnents! I love the idea of the Metal lightsaber hilts. I think this is the best improvement to the Jedi that you could have done! Keep them coming! But, reduce the size of the magnents, or hide them in the hand! Poor Chase Obi-Wan looks like he has a tumor growth on this right hand!
If you are going to add gimmick, at least make sure they are in line with the character, are pretty well hidden, and does not interfer with the over all look of the figure.

If you can improve some of what is above, I assure you that the fans will back it. And you will see it by the number of figures that would be sold. If not, I sense a decline coming on the horizon. It is the same decline that I saw hit the Comic book community. If your customers have to go to eBay to full fill their collecting needs, then you are not doing something right. There is no need that 2 days after a new wave is released, someone has to go to eBay to get the figure they want. Ebay is costing you money!!!

Thank you for you time in reading this, and hopfully correcting some problems. If you would have any need to contact me on anything above please do.

hippy9636@yahoo.com
Dar' Argol
Concerned collector

sideswipe1984

06-13-2002, 06:52 PM

Amen DA. I sincerely hope that someone from Hasbro reads this and gives it some serious thought. What we are asking for will increase your profits in the long run, by making your customers happier with future product. It's time to lay all of our chips on the table. The days of just buying these figures because the Star Wars name is slapped across the package are coming to an end - and soon! Lose the gimmicks & extreme poses, return to hard plastic accessories, and focus on your distribution. You have a legion of collectors out there that are just waiting for you to give them something to be excited about. Don't let them down anymore.

RooJay

06-13-2002, 09:04 PM

I second that emotion!

bigbarada

06-13-2002, 11:44 PM

I totally agree, my interest in this line is waning fast. We still haven't recieved the Massif wave OR the Bespin wave and the stores have stopped ordering new figures, because they can't get rid of the garbage!

As it stands right now, I just want a Cloud City Chewie and Ephant Mon and I plan to quit. It's just too frustrating and the fun has gone.

I also just want Ephant Mon and Cloud City Chewie and Han Endor( a big maybe) and I'll get any really nice figures we haven't seen pics of yet if that happens at all. I agree with everything you said.

billyjack

RooJay

06-14-2002, 02:52 AM

I for one will certainly continue buying anything Hasbro puts out simply because, between sub-par Star Wars figures and none, I prefer the sub-par. However, I understand that I'm certainly in the very small minority, and even I believe that things can certainly be better.

JediTricks

06-14-2002, 03:30 AM

Right on DA!!

WesleySr

06-14-2002, 03:54 AM

RooJay - I am the same way, I will continue to buy Star Wars as long as they continue to make it. But I am very dissappointed with the way the new line is being handled. I am disgusted with some of the "action" poses and the gimmicks or action feature and just plain out stupid. It sucks not having an Obi-Wan for my Starfighter or a decently posed Jango and Boba for Slave I. HASBRO LISTEN UP, GO BACK TO THE REGULAR POSES BEFORE YOU KILL YOURSELVES.

Maximilian Veers

06-14-2002, 05:25 AM

I agree totally Dar....
I hate those poses and the only figure I've bought with an action feature is Kit Fisto and that's just because of how cool he's looking.
Also I want Hasbro to distribute better to the outside world of America.....US isn't the only country in the world that has Star Wars collectors,I myself has a pretty big collection for an Icelander,mainly because I used to live in Massachusetts.
I want my figures to Interact with each other in a proper way,for ex: I cant let my Eeth Koth talk to Yoda or the other Jedis cause he's always gonna slash right through them with his lightsaber,it's always like he's going to chop some wood. And Luminara,oh crap,soddy paint-job,and when the other Jedis want to have a word with her,she poses like she's dancing or something.
Distribute better to Europe,make the figures equally available to everyone,do better paintjob and stop all those stupid stupid gimmicks and "action poses"...I hate "action features/poses"

RooJay & WesleySR, I'm with you. I think these things look great! I understand the reasons for the softer materials, and I don't care. They look better now than ever. I will always buy these things as long as I have a few dollars in my pocket :).

Dar' Argol

06-14-2002, 05:02 PM

I agree that I will still continue to collect them, but there are some, (Big-B for example), that are at their wits end! I really would not like to loose someone like Big-B in our "community".

Some of the "poses" I can deal with and even like! If they release a netural posed figure at some time.

Maximilian Veers, I meant in no way it mean the this should be only fixed in the US. I relize that there is a world wide distribution problem. I was a little upset when I wrote this. Its a thread that has been festering in my head for some time. By all means Hasbro should fix the problems world wide. I'm sorry if you felt excluded:(

Good to hear from some Iceland collectors though:D

RooJay

06-14-2002, 05:10 PM

Originally posted by icatch9
RooJay & WesleySR, I'm with you. I think these things look great! I understand the reasons for the softer materials, and I don't care. They look better now than ever. I will always buy these things as long as I have a few dollars in my pocket :).

I never said they look "great". What I said was that my choice between refraining from buying Star Wars figures, and buying figures that I believe could be better would be to continue supporting the line. If everyone just stopped buying them, then we wouldn't have a Star Wars line. I think most of them only look "pretty good", and most of them could certainly look better! I don't even think the look is the real issue. I think action features was not a good way for Hasbro to take this line. While I do like pre-posing on some figures, I certainly would hope that this doesn't become the norm, which is what it looks like we're edging towards.

Darth Annexis

06-14-2002, 08:37 PM

Even though they are toys...which they are...the collectors make up the bulk of the market...after all we (collectors) were once kids...now we have jobs and can afford the toys we wanted as children...Afterall, the petrified action poses were an attempt to please collectors...but more research was needed!

DarthBrandon

06-14-2002, 09:02 PM

Thumbs up to DA, I agree with you totally on that post, now only if Hasbro could read.

Maximilian Veers

06-18-2002, 05:13 AM

Dear Dar...
I wasn't feeling offended,I just had to make this point again,and I'll do it until I'll see some really good distribution to Europe from Hasbro.
And Dar....keep up the good work.

And Annexsis,I too agree with you!

From Iceland.........Me!

LTBasker

06-18-2002, 05:24 AM

I wonder if they even get the picture that for research, they need more than just kids that are getting easy money to try the stuff out on?

bigbarada

06-18-2002, 01:33 PM

Hasbro needs to go back to the original formula that made this toy line great in the late 1970s. Meaning an accessory driven line. The primary job of the figures should be to fit in the vehicles, whether they were in that vehicle in the movie or not. Thus the vehicles would sell the line, not the action figures. I don't mind some detail and accuracy being sacrificed for compatability and durability.

Some people claim that McFarlane revolutionized the action figure industry and brought it into the 21st century. I say that's a load of bantha-poodoo. McFarlane destroyed the industry by focusing on collectors and speculators not on kids, whose primary concerns are playability and durability. McFarlane's toys aren't meant to be played with or tossed around; heck they're not even meant to be opened I've learned from limbs breaking off while trying to remove them from the package.

If a kid buys Zams Speeder and Zam Wesel then realizes that she won't fit in her own speeder, that kid is going to feel angry and ripped-off. He is most definitely not going to wait around a couple of years for Hasbro to resculpt Zam in the hopes that the new version might fit in the speeder. He's going to toss the toys out and look for another better-designed, more well-thought-out toy line to collect.

Kids are smart enough not to put up with shoddy workmanship, so why aren't we?

DarthBrandon

06-18-2002, 02:19 PM

Originally posted by bigbarada
Hasbro needs to go back to the original formula that made this toy line great in the late 1970s. Meaning an accessory driven line. The primary job of the figures should be to fit in the vehicles, whether they were in that vehicle in the movie or not. Thus the vehicles would sell the line, not the action figures. I don't mind some detail and accuracy being sacrificed for compatability and durability.

Some people claim that McFarlane revolutionized the action figure industry and brought it into the 21st century. I say that's a load of bantha-poodoo. McFarlane destroyed the industry by focusing on collectors and speculators not on kids, whose primary concerns are playability and durability. McFarlane's toys aren't meant to be played with or tossed around; heck they're not even meant to be opened I've learned from limbs breaking off while trying to remove them from the package.

If a kid buys Zams Speeder and Zam Wesel then realizes that she won't fit in her own speeder, that kid is going to feel angry and ripped-off. He is most definitely not going to wait around a couple of years for Hasbro to resculpt Zam in the hopes that the new version might fit in the speeder. He's going to toss the toys out and look for another better-designed, more well-thought-out toy line to collect.

Kids are smart enough not to put up with shoddy workmanship, so why aren't we?

I hear you Big B,

I don't think it would take much effort on Hasbro's part to make figures that will accomodate the Vehicles and vise versa. I also don't think they would lose that much detail or accuracy either. I mean how hard is it to make figures that have knees and arms that bend ? Not hard in my books as some of us collectors are forced to customize our figures in this manner. Look at some of the new figures like Bespin Luke the knees and arms are excellent and they never lost any detail or accuracy. Another example is Jango K.E., great detail and accuracy, but why don't his legs and arms bend. Why can't Hasbro just make them all the same great detail, accuracy, bendable legs and arms etc. I know they can do it, but the question is why are they not consistent ?

JediTricks

06-18-2002, 05:49 PM

I agree with BB, the whole reason for these 3¾" figures being that size was because of cross-playability with the vehicles - we need more of that, more vehicles and playsets that aren't customized to one specific figure OR WORSE.

Kids will come to the line if you make better toys, not better collectibles and not gimmicky toys that lure kids in for one playtime but leave them unsatisfied in the long run.

AmanaMatt

06-18-2002, 07:21 PM

I agree. One more gimmick, and I'm going to go Exorcist on Hasbro's **S!

Just when you think Hasbro 'gets it,' they remind us all that they really don't.

RooJay

06-28-2002, 08:19 AM

The new (can you actually call glorified repaints "new") Cantina Alien packs seem to be another nail in the coffin here. It's gonna take a really good second assortment to make up for this one in my mind!

...adding a little fuel to the fire, and bumping this up where I think it deserves to be! ;)

Jason B

06-28-2002, 09:45 AM

I've been following my uncle around more doing figure checks, and now I understand why everyone is pushing this so hard. Are they completely numb? What is wrong with them? It's so frustrating. Their idea of assotments and packing figures is so far off. You really can't blame the retailers. This system would work good, if the figs were selling, but they're just sitting on the pegs. The retailers aren't going to order more of the same figures, just to get the 1-2 per case of new ones. I just don't understand.

bandontherun

06-28-2002, 03:47 PM

I don't like the poses. That's my problem with them. I like the magnets, but I agree they should be hidden. With the poses, they are sometimes unable to stand up on their own.

BTW, for no reason at all, I put up a good Queen song you can listen to.

anarky

06-28-2002, 04:06 PM

Originally posted by bandontherun
BTW, for no reason at all, I put up a good Queen song you can listen to.

did i miss something here? i'm more confused than when i opened up my aotc yoda and couldn't figure out how to put the stuff together for a few minutes

QLD

06-29-2002, 02:11 PM

I agree with everything stated by Big B and Dar.

That is all the Dong has to say.

Thank you.

bandontherun

06-29-2002, 03:25 PM

Originally posted by anarky

did i miss something here? i'm more confused than when i opened up my aotc yoda and couldn't figure out how to put the stuff together for a few minutes

Hmm, guess it didn't show up. Sorry.

starwars92570

06-29-2002, 10:23 PM

In my county no stores have recieved any new figures since April 23!

InsaneJediGirl

06-29-2002, 11:42 PM

I agree with you BigB and DA.Distribution is a huge problem.

Gimmicks are also bad.If Hasbro wanted to give Anakin a removable arm so bad,why not just use the pegs bendable
enough for kids to use,but sturdy to keep shape?

I've seen so many kids also walk away from the SW Isle disappointed.They wanted Yoda,Dooku,Bepsin Luke and
HD Anakin.Hasbro,why dont you tamp down on the first wave
and concentrate on these?The kids really want them,more than some freaky OPD Anakin.:D :D :D

LTBasker

06-30-2002, 07:34 AM

Originally posted by InsaneJediGirl
I've seen so many kids also walk away from the SW Isle disappointed.They wanted Yoda,Dooku,Bepsin Luke and
HD Anakin.Hasbro,why dont you tamp down on the first wave
and concentrate on these?The kids really want them,more than some freaky OPD Anakin.:D :D :D

A cooler Anakin with 2 lightsabers or a short Anakin in a costume he never saw action in with a lightsaber growth problem....

They should really come out with full assortments of figures for some case ratios like they did with POTJ instead of the way they did it with POTF2 and E1. They could still have some ratios that would ship with older figures but they'd be short-packed in those cases to make room for newer figures.

They should also make a big cut-down on the merchandise right now, like only concentrating on their main lines and leaving stuff like Puzzles, Games, etc. in the bag since those always wind up on clearance on the top shelves months later. That way there will be more selling stuff than there is non-selling reasonably more "expensive" items sitting there.

$20 Board Game that's just a rehash of an ancient board game that a person may already have another version of, or 4 figures? ;)

2-1B

06-30-2002, 11:33 AM

I'm heading to WizardWorld next weekend, I should print off multiple copies of this thread and litter the Hasbro booth with it! :D

DarkArtist

06-30-2002, 04:48 PM

KILL THE EXCLUSIVES AS WELL. It is getting harder and harder to find them and stores order two and that's it. The local target near me has already said that their accessory packs are going to be short. Two Cases. Forget finding the cantina sets at Walmart

WesleySr

06-30-2002, 04:53 PM

What about the $125 FAO Shuttle Tydrerium??? I pre-ordered mine. What a ripoff. But, then again, it's an exclusive, so they have me over a barrel.

bandontherun

06-30-2002, 11:51 PM

That's what I hate about exclusives. They can sell a $25 toy for $100 and get away with it.

Dar' Argol

07-01-2002, 01:27 AM

WOW:eek:! Such a responce to something I was sure would sink to the bottom like so many other threads here!!! Thanx for the support everyone!!

I for one like the Exclusives. It means that some stuff we have been wanting for a while may get made. Do you think the Snowspeeder and TIE Bomber would have been made if WM hadn't thrown their hat into the ring?? Or how about the 12" speeder bikes with Endor Luke and Scout Trooper??? The At-ST's with a NEW ewok, Pabloo??? I am happy for the Exclusives. The prices I am not happy with, but the exclusives I am:D

WesleySr

07-01-2002, 03:16 AM

Well, lets look at exclusives and their prices (correct me if i am wrong):

Well, the prices really arn't THAT bad, except for FAO Swartz:rolleyes:. But also look at what we have gotton as well.

And the Cantina Bar Sets are $9.96:D

Jason B

07-01-2002, 09:51 PM

IIRC?

RooJay

07-02-2002, 12:29 AM

Originally posted by Dar' Argol
I for one like the Exclusives. It means that some stuff we have been wanting for a while may get made. Do you think the Snowspeeder and TIE Bomber would have been made if WM hadn't thrown their hat into the ring??

Yes, but not all of us work for Wal-Mart and many of us never found the Snowspeeder and TIE Bomber! No offense.;)

JediTricks

07-02-2002, 04:33 AM

Originally posted by Dar' Argol
Do you think the Snowspeeder and TIE Bomber would have been made if WM hadn't thrown their hat into the ring?? ... The At-ST's with a NEW ewok, Pabloo??? Well, the Snowspeeder and the AT-ST were made before they were exclusives.

"IIRC" = If I Recall/Remember Correctly

BTW, I still don't have a TIE Bomber or WM Snowspeeder, there's another really unpleasant thing about exclusives, they're too hard to find in my areas and too expensive to ship from other areas. It would actually be cheaper if I were to go to a scalper for those 2 than if I asked Thrawn to send them to me - that's a bad sign! (And no, I have no plans to buy these from scalpers)

bigbarada

07-02-2002, 11:01 AM

The only thing special about the AT-ST/Speeder Bike and Snowspeeder is the figures, Dak and Paploo. So, in essence, those are simply figures we have been asking for for years with rehashed vehicles as pack-ins.

Hasbro has already made their money on those vehicle molds (considering they didn't have to create them, they simply inhereted them from Kenner), so it is just a way to force us to pay $30 for "unique" figures (which are simply repainted POTF2 figures). Of course, why the GONK not? If they can sell the exact same product many times over with the only differences being a splotch of paint here and there, who can blame them for taking advantage of our lack of common sense?

I still maintain that a 'completist' is worse than a 'scalper.' The completist is the reason that scalpers exist in the first place. The completist is the reason that Hasbro can get away with so much shoddy workmanship. The "quit whining you know you'll buy it anyway" attitude has done more to hurt this hobby than any scalper.

Laserbrain

07-02-2002, 01:52 PM

I don't think these comments really matter much in the grand scheme of things. Once Hasbro sells their units for $10,000 a truckload and has the goods shipped to a domestic unloading dock, their job is done. Hasbro makes their money selling to chain stores (TRU, Target, WalMart, ect.), not collectors. We really don't factor into that.

That doesn't mean things can't change though...

WesleySr

07-02-2002, 04:16 PM

Bigbarada, it wouldn't be so bad about the snowspeeder if we had some more rogue pilots to go in them. As for the AT-ST, it gave HASBRO a chance to redo a vehicle that was very hard to come by in the original POTF2 line. I thought the speederbike and ewok were an excellent pack-in.

Dar' Argol

07-02-2002, 06:31 PM

Originally posted by RooJay

Yes, but not all of us work for Wal-Mart and many of us never found the Snowspeeder and TIE Bomber! No offense.;)

Trust me, I understand:rolleyes:. I think the exclusives should be done, but at a greater Qty. That is the downfall to the exclusives. I wanted the 12" Biker Scout and Speeder from Target, but could not get it in time:(. Thankfully, I am getting it in a trade. I was not going to pay $120 - $200 at a "scalper store" for it:mad:.

Orignally posted by bigbarada
The only thing special about the AT-ST/Speeder Bike and Snowspeeder is the figures, Dak and Paploo. So, in essence, those are simply figures we have been asking for for years with rehashed vehicles as pack-ins.

This is true, but many of use never had the chance to pick up those vehicals:(. So this gives me a second chance, so to speak, to pick up vehicals I want. I am not really into the vechials, not enough room to display, so I pick an choose. But when I decided to start an Endor Diorama, I needed AT-ST's, so this gave me the chance to get them:).

Orignally posted by WesleySr
Bigbarada, it wouldn't be so bad about the snowspeeder if we had some more rogue pilots to go in them. As for the AT-ST, it gave HASBRO a chance to redo a vehicle that was very hard to come by in the original POTF2 line. I thought the speederbike and ewok were an excellent pack-in.

Yes, the pack ins are good! I can always use a new Ewok;). But the speeder is something I can do without. The count is up to 4 now:rolleyes:.

There are good sides and bad sides to exclusive, that much is clear. But I think in the long run they are good, just my opinion:D.

Darth Cruel

07-08-2002, 06:54 PM

I am in total agreement with the hatred of gimmicks. I cannot tell you, Hasbro, how much it angers me when you ruin a great figure like the new Luke Bespin by restricting the articulation and taking away from the look of the figure by adding a stupid gimmick with a big lever or button sticking out of it's back. What kind of brain-dead idea wizards do you all have making this stuff up. How about once and for all getting on the same page as the people buying this stuff. I have one #(!! of a lot of money to spend on Star Wars stuff and I am going to give it up if you keep making me buy this gimmick garbage.

Please tell us the name of the complete idiot who thought of putting a wheel in Anakin's back so that his wrist would turn like no human being's does.

All I can think of is conference table in a board room filled with the people who epitomize the stereotype of the dumb, nerd Star Wars geek patting one of you on the back for coming up with that one. How stupid are you to think that that is a cool idea?

How much does the fool make? The one who thought of that wonderful gimmick on the Bespin Darth Vader, (you know the one that causes the big gap at his waist). It sickens me that there are people making money for this total lack of insight.

I generally don't publish angry posts and I apologize for this one, but I have spent a lot of money on my collection, and I continue to be disappointed. The people who know me think I am an idiot for collecting under the circumstances and I am beginning to think they are right.

RooJay

07-09-2002, 07:28 AM

Originally posted by bigbarada
The only thing special about the AT-ST/Speeder Bike and Snowspeeder is the figures, Dak and Paploo. So, in essence, those are simply figures we have been asking for for years with rehashed vehicles as pack-ins.

Hasbro has already made their money on those vehicle molds (considering they didn't have to create them, they simply inhereted them from Kenner), so it is just a way to force us to pay $30 for "unique" figures (which are simply repainted POTF2 figures). Of course, why the GONK not? If they can sell the exact same product many times over with the only differences being a splotch of paint here and there, who can blame them for taking advantage of our lack of common sense?

I still maintain that a 'completist' is worse than a 'scalper.' The completist is the reason that scalpers exist in the first place. The completist is the reason that Hasbro can get away with so much shoddy workmanship. The "quit whining you know you'll buy it anyway" attitude has done more to hurt this hobby than any scalper.

I agree 100% on all points!

You're especially right about "completists". Afterall, scalpers wouldn't exist if there were no "completists" to buy from them! That having been said, I'm left wondering what actually constitutes a completist? I myself want a Dak figure. I even managed to find a couple Snowspeeders. Had they been a bit cheaper I would've bought one (I'm talking no more than $20) just so I could have a Dak figure! I don't mean to say that I would've bought a Snowspeeder for 20 bucks and got the Dak figure that came with it; I mean that I would've spent 20 bucks on a (sub par) Dak figure and got a Snowspeeder (that I don't feel I really need) with it. I would've done it just to have Dak in my collection (were the price a bit more reasonable to justify this). Does it make me a completist just because I want, and will buy, a figure of every character Hasbro makes? Or is a completist someone who has to buy every single item made, regardless of cost or quality just for the sake of owning a complete set? Even I refuse to spend the 55 bucks (I'm guessing here, since I wouldn't even give these guys the pleasure of thinking I might be interested in buying from them! The actually cost is higher, I'm sure.) the nearest "collectibles store" wants for the Snowspeeder. I even refused to spend the 35 Wal-Mart wanted for it.

Darth Cruel

07-18-2002, 05:42 PM

I had a long post about the stupidity of blaming completists for Hasbro's production choices via buying from scalpers,(and it was pretty funny, to) but I vowed a long time ago not post in anger and I already went back on that one once (and it happens to be in this thread, SSG staff, feel free to remove it).

I will shorten it down to this:

Re-releasing items has it's merits. I remember that I and a great many other collectors never got an AT-ST on the first release, and I never got one on the second either. So I hope they do it again so I can get one.

underdog25

07-22-2002, 09:01 AM

Right on Da! I lost interest in having to have every figure when the POTJ line came out. That first wave, break apart Maul, Jedi Obi Wan, Anakin with pit droid, etc were some of the worst figures to date! At that time of course. I think that I only have 5 or 6 figures from the POTJ line and 3 or 4 of them are Sandtroopers. As for the AOTC line I only have 15 figures as of todays date. I have the ones I want and will get the others later. As a matter of fact I will get them when they go on clearance. Yes Hasbro, you will be putting them on clearance by next spring. Retailers are swimming in the crappy figures and lack of distribution. I will say that I know distribution isn't always your fault. I know TRU is sitting on warehouses FULL of the newest assortments. They just can't get them into the stores because they/you over bought the first waves for figures and are now eating them at the store level. Besides there being too many crappy figures on the pegs, the paint, sculpts, etc suck on them too! You have definatly lost my buiz with the poor workmanship and QA/AC. Step it up or continue down the dark path.

FlakMan

07-22-2002, 05:30 PM

Yes, some of the figures have absolutely lousy paint jobs. Even the accesories too. The Kamino Saber Dart that came with Dexter Jettster is purple. No where near in likeness to the movie dart! That peg in Padme's shoulder is hideous. I have a very hard time getting Mace Windu and the Battle Droid to stand up. I originally had problems getting the Super Battle Droid to stand but eventually got it to bend to my will. The Anakin Skywalker OUtland Peasant Disguise figure was awful. Sometimes, the blaster would fall into the lower part of the container, but that's not the worst part of the figure. The lightsaber is hideous! Not only is it the thickness of Anakin's hand (waaaay out of scale!) but the lightsaber blade retracts into his arm! As if Hasbro is using it as a gimmick to beckon the vintage collectors back! That figure would have done much better if the container was better constructed and the lightsaber NOT built into Anakin's arm. When Anakin was wearing that disguise, he NEVER used his lightsaber. Not once. And that brings me to my next point: accessories that were never seen in the movie or were overly exaggerated. Dexter Jettster had a pair of cleavers. Understandable. He probably uses them for cooking. But the electro-wrap effect? When the **** did he shock someone with a cleaver???? Three more poor examples of the electro-effect are the Royal Guard Coruscant Sentry, Jar Jar Binks Gungan Senator, and the Geonosian Warrior. When did either of the two Royal Guards in the movie zap anyone? How do we know their force pikes are capable of delivering an electric charge? And Jar Jar Binks, when did he ever have that staff, and who would entrust him with one that can shock someone? And I'm positive I never once saw a Geonosian Warrior use his staff to shock someone. The best use of the effect was with the Yoda figure, but the rock that it sorrounded was not needed. The figure that could have made the best use of the electro effect was Count Dooku. Did he not zap Anakin and attempt to zap Yoda and Obi-Wan? And now that I'm somewhat onto force effects, let's take a look at those. I don't remember Plo Koon ever using the Force to push any droids in the movie, much less use the Force for something other than deflecting blaster bolts. And I never saw Saesee Tiin use the Force to create a funky little orange and yellow shield, much less a sheild at all. And when did the Nikto Jedi ever use some sort of swirl? And since when were lightsabers capable of creating a swirl? Kit Fisto sure could have stood to use Plo Koon's Force effect. He did push C-3PO's body to the ground in the battle. Another thing: a neat idea would have been to make C-3PO's head and the battle droid's heads interchangable. I realize this was later accomplished in the C-3PO deluxe figure, but doing this outside of it along with Kit Fisto having a Force effect would have only increased playability and possibly scenes for those collectors who like to make renactments with the loose figures they collect. Back to the Padme figure. Her pillar in the movie was much much taller, and probably could have still fit in the packaging if it was made much taller but seperated into two parts on either side of the figure. Things were poorly packaged. The extremely hard to break elastic stuff made getting some figures out of the packaging a chore, and unecessary. Some things, such as lightsaber blades, were "weaved" into the plastic, cause a person to nearly break them when removing from the package. A child could easily destroy their figures when attempting to simply remove the figure from the packaging. Too many of the figures were a great challenge to stand up. In the future Hasbro, for us collectors who like to display their loose figure, make holes in the bottom of feet and provide a small display stand for the figure. Put a logo on it if you like, I just want it to be easier to stand the figures up. I think if I continue to rant and rave about the Saga basic figures like this, I might just hurt myself. I'm just glad I don't have too many of the deluxe figures to haggle on. Although it should have been much easier to get the force-flipping figures to land on their feet. Last but not least, returning to the Basic figures, the magnets used to attract lightsabers and to keep "battle-damage" arms on should have been much much stronger. Hasbro: USE BETTER MATERIAL. Thanks for listening, especially if you have any influence over at Hasbro.

DarthMaulSithLord

07-22-2002, 07:20 PM

Amen!!! If you think it's bad in the US, try collecting in Europe, it's a friggin' nightmare thanks to Hasbro. I call for action!!!

"We really DO care!"

Riiiiiiiight!!!

:(

rynobot

07-24-2002, 03:13 AM

I hate the light saber blades! I had bought a Ki Adi Mundi for my nephew and right after he gets it out of the package the light saber baldes snaps at the hilt. What a piece of Bull Flop.